Chapter 27: The Written Guarantee

"Uncle Li, are you home?"

The one who answered him was not Li Jianhua, but Aunt Li.

Aunt Li’s complexion was rather pale, and she was periodically interrupted by bouts of coughing. As she lifted the curtain and saw Lin Yang, a kind smile involuntarily appeared on her face.

"Little Yang, come inside quickly; it’s cold out there! *Cough, cough*... You haven't eaten yet, have you? *Cough, cough, cough*..."

Lin Yang nodded immediately, looking pitiful as he said, "My mother chased me around to give me a beating, so I didn't dare go home. Auntie, please, you have to save me!"

Upon hearing this, Aunt Li couldn't help but laugh. "Your mother was looking everywhere for you earlier. Did you go into the mountains again? *Cough, cough*... You child, why don't you ever know how to put one's mind at ease?"

Lin Yang grinned. "Nothing gets past you. I went up the mountain and raided two squirrel nests, and I even caught a gray rabbit."

As he spoke, he took off his basket and began nimbly pulling out nuts. "Auntie, nuts are highly nutritious; consider them a snack. You should focus on building up your health."

While speaking, his eyes lit up as he spotted Li Xiaowan. She was standing at the threshold of the inner room, watching him shyly with a modest smile on her face.

Aunt Li reached out and tapped him lightly on the head. "Where are you looking? You rascal, your thoughts are written all over your face."

Lin Yang laughed in slight embarrassment. He then reached into the worn-out cloth bag hanging at his waist and carefully pulled out two plump turtledoves. "Auntie, your health hasn't been great lately. These turtledoves are excellent for nourishment; they’ll help you recover properly. I got these specifically for you, as a token of my respect. After all, in the future, I’m going to..."

However, before he could finish his sentence, a hurried and heavy set of footsteps approached from outside. Immediately after, a voice filled with authority and displeasure rang out coldly.

"Going to do what?"

The voice seemed sharp as shards of ice, instantly dropping the temperature in the room to freezing. The owner of the voice was none other than Li Jianhua.

He strode into the room, his gloomy face looking as if it were covered in frost, his eyes locked onto Lin Yang like two sharp blades.

Yet, Lin Yang remained full of smiles, seemingly unfazed by Li Jianhua’s stern and scrutinizing gaze. He greeted him enthusiastically: "Oh, Uncle Li, you're back! Look, it just so happens that my mother and Aunt Li discussed some matters today, and I came over specifically to write a letter of guarantee."

"You can set your mind at ease. From today on, just watch my performance. I will definitely make both you and Aunt Li satisfied!"

As he said this, Lin Yang tilted his head slightly and winked at Xiao Si, who was watching everything with curiosity.

Xiao Si was as clever as a little fox. Her dark eyes darted, she instantly understood, and she hopped into the room like a cheerful little rabbit. Before long, she came running back, cradling her notebook in both hands, and respectfully placed it in front of Lin Yang.

Lin Yang didn't hesitate. He picked up his pen steadily, the tip dancing across the paper with a "swish, swish, swish" sound.

Aunt Li stood to the side, her face full of astonishment.

Earlier today, Lin Yang’s mother had come to see her, subtly expressing the desire to bring the two children together. She had also made it clear that she wanted to help her son. But Aunt Li had never expected that Lin Yang would be so serious about it. He said he would write a letter of guarantee, and he did it without any hesitation.

When Li Jianhua saw this, he was furious. He glared at Xiao Si, didn't bother to grunt, and stepped up to Lin Yang in a few strides. He thought to himself that, no matter what, he couldn't let this kid hoodwink his daughter. Lin Yang’s past behavior had been truly hard to trust. As the saying goes, it is easier to change a mountain than a man's nature. He didn't believe for a second that Lin Yang could have undergone such a drastic transformation overnight.

But before Li Jianhua could open his mouth, his eyes fell involuntarily onto the letter of guarantee being written. His eyes widened, and he could hardly believe what he was seeing.

Lin Yang put down the pen and looked up at Li Jianhua’s expression. Amused, he said, "Uncle, I am well aware that I have done many foolish things in the past, disappointing those who cared about me. So, I don't dare hope that everyone will trust me immediately."

"But today, I have written this guarantee clearly. I’ll press my fingerprint on it, and with it in black and white, this agreement will hold true no matter what."

"From now on, all family matters, big or small, will be decided by Xiaowan. If I ever wrong her, I will leave with nothing—not a single cent!"

"Furthermore, I guarantee that when I marry Xiaowan, I will provide a dowry of one thousand yuan, along with the 'three rounds and one sound' (a watch, a sewing machine, a bicycle, and a radio). Uncle, you know that one thousand yuan is no small sum, and the 'three rounds and one sound' is something every girl dreams of. I will definitely give you and Aunt Li plenty of face!"

"At the same time, I will do everything in my power to get hold of bear bile to treat Auntie and help her recover as soon as possible."

"I have written all of this down neatly in this guarantee. If I fail to fulfill even one of these terms, it will count as a breach of contract. You and Auntie can deal with me as you see fit; I won't have a word of complaint!"

Li Jianhua stared intently at the contents of the letter, not blinking once, as if he wanted to carve every word into his mind.

At that moment, Lin Yang picked up the ballpoint pen, scribbled on his hand to get the ink flowing, and then solemnly pressed his fingerprint onto the paper.

Lin Yang looked up at Li Jianhua with a serious expression. "Uncle, you watched me grow up. Even though some of the things I did in the past disappointed you and Auntie, you know my character. I have always been a man of my word; I don't lie, and I certainly don't engage in petty, underhanded acts."

"Everyone in the village calls me 'Young Master,' but no one has ever accused me of doing anything morally bankrupt. I'll say it here: Xiaowan will be my wife, and I will spend my whole life being good to her. I will never let her suffer the slightest grievance."

Li Jianhua was bewildered by Lin Yang’s words. He looked at the contents of the guarantee, unable to react for a moment. These conditions were simply too harsh! If the village found out about this letter, they would probably point fingers at him behind his back.

His face darkened, and just as he was about to speak, Lin Yang, as if guessing what he was going to say, stepped in first, his gaze firm. "Uncle Li, this guarantee is permanently valid. And don't worry, I won't tell a soul. This will be a secret between our two families."

"If I ever treat Xiaowan poorly or do anything to betray her, you and Auntie can bring this letter out. Whatever you decide to do to me then, I will accept it willingly, without a single complaint."

Li Jianhua opened his mouth slightly and instinctively looked at his wife. The two exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with hesitation. This situation was truly beyond their expectations. If word got out, how could their family hold their heads high in the village? Besides, they had more than one daughter—there were three younger ones besides Xiaowan. If a bad reputation spread, would their other daughters ever be able to marry?

Noticing the awkward and heavy atmosphere, Lin Yang smiled and said, "Uncle Li, I’ve been on the move, and my stomach is growling—I haven't eaten yet! We’re all going to be one family; you don't mind if I have a meal here, do you? Look, I even brought my own food!"

As he spoke, he triumphantly hoisted the bag containing the turtledoves.

Li Jianhua found himself between laughter and tears, not knowing what to say. He had watched Lin Yang grow up and knew him well. In all fairness, apart from a stubborn temper, Lin Yang didn't have many major flaws. His biggest problem had always been his laziness and lack of ambition. But now, it seemed Lin Yang had learned how to make a living. Just look at how he himself had tried to catch snow frogs, only to end up in a mess—not catching the frogs and nearly falling into a ditch. This proved that Lin Yang was indeed capable.

Seeing Li Jianhua’s eyes locked on the turtledoves, Lin Yang remembered something and smiled. "Uncle Li, are you free tomorrow? I'll be busy hunting in the mountains and won't have much time to go to the river for snow frogs or set traps for turtles. Why don't you come with me?"

"I can show you how to set traps and where the snow frogs hide. I won't promise too much, but we could easily make a hundred or so yuan before the heavy snow seals the mountains."

Li Jianhua looked at Lin Yang deeply, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes. Finally, he shook his head helplessly. "Forget it. I suppose that girl Xiaowan told you about me trying to catch snow frogs, didn't she? I was just trying my luck anyway; it doesn't matter if I didn't catch any."

"Since you’ve written this guarantee, get out of here quickly before I change my mind!"

With that, he picked up the guarantee, folded it carefully, tucked it into his pocket, and gave Lin Yang an annoyed glare.

Lin Yang, however, had no intention of leaving. Saying, "Uncle Li, I’ll go cook," he headed straight for the kitchen.

He didn't forget to shout, "Xiaowan, come help me!"

Hearing his voice, Li Xiaowan instinctively started to walk out, but she was immediately stopped by Li Jianhua.